Fullscreen Media’s Pete Stein has been named global chief executive of Huge, replacing incumbent Michael Koziol who has resigned after six years with the company.

According to an IPG statement, Koziol is leaving ‘to focus on private equity ventures in media and entertainment, retail and e-commerce’.

Stein joins from Fullscreen Media, a digital entertainment network and consultancy owned by Otter Media, a subsidiary of AT&T’s WarnerMedia. He spent more than three years as general manager of the company, which he joined after an 11-year stint at Razorfish (now Publicis Sapient).

He was named global chief executive of the digital consultancy in 2013, having worked through the company’s sale to Publicis as president.

The role is indicative of Huge’s ambitions to become one of IPG’s key weapons in its fight for ad dollars against the consultancies. Michael Roth, chairman and chief executive of the holding company, noted Stein’s ability to “deliver transformative business ideas” – not just digital campaigns.

“Pete has been a champion of digital technology since its emergence,” he said. “[He] is a strong collaborator who builds cultures defined by inclusion, teamwork and growth.”

Koziel joined Huge as a consultant in 2012 and was named as president and managing director of its Atlanta office the following year. He then took on the president, international role before being elevated to the top job in 2018.

He said: "It’s been an amazing honor and experience to work at Huge alongside the best talent in the business and most ambitious clients in the world. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to watching the company continue to thrive."